The Future of Airport Design and Leadership - John Anthal - Mancini Duffy - Episode # 227

How do architects create airports that feel human, intuitive, and welcoming while juggling regulations, budgets, and countless stakeholders? 

In this episode, Dan Ryan sits down with John Anthal, Principal and Aviation Sector Leader at Mancini Duffy, to unpack the hidden complexity of airport design, the evolving meaning of hospitality in aviation, and how leadership, technology, and culture shape the future of large-scale infrastructure.

John pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to design terminals for millions of travelers, from Lufthansa’s JFK lounge to major Port Authority projects, while keeping the end user at the center. They explore human-scale design in massive public spaces, the tension between grand architecture and comfort, how AI and new tools are transforming the studio, and why empowering young designers leads to the most innovative ideas. This is a deep dive into architecture, hospitality, leadership, and the future of air travel, grounded in real-world lessons from one of the industry’s most experienced aviation designers.

Takeaways:

• Airport projects are full of regulations, politics, and competing priorities but success hinges on never losing sight of the end user. Human-scale touches and thoughtful amenities transform overwhelming spaces into welcoming ones.
• Creating comfort in aviation means understanding diverse travelers and reinforcing brand through design. Small cultural cues, like Lufthansa’s pickle bar, build familiarity and ease.
• U.S. airports often struggle with outdated systems and tight sites. Long project timelines require forward-thinking, adaptable planning that anticipates future technologies and growth.
• Entrepreneurial thinking drives new opportunities. Employees are encouraged to pitch new business ideas and build new verticals, creating a culture where initiative is celebrated.
• Technology is an enabler, not a replacement. AI tools and modern platforms like Revit enhance creativity and efficiency, helping teams visualize ideas faster and communicate them more powerfully.

Quote of the Show:

“Learning more from other clients helps us solve problems for our existing clients in ways we hadn’t thought about before. It’s about a diversity of knowledge in a niche market.” - John Anthal

Links:

• John’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-anthal-98849b103/  
• Mancini Duffy Company website: https://www.manciniduffy.com/  
• Mancini Duffy Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mancini_duffy/ 

Shout Outs:

• 1:57 - Defining Hospitality Episode with Christian Giordano https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtU_jwh2YDI 
• 2:21 - Entrepreneurs Organization https://eonetwork.org/ 
• 2:31 - Mancini Duffy https://www.manciniduffy.com/ 
• 3:24 - New York/New Jersey Port Authority https://www.panynj.gov/port-authority/en/index.html 
• 6:08 - Lufthansa https://www.lufthansa.com/us/en/homepage 
• 6:10 - John F. Kennedy Airport https://www.jfkairport.com/ 
• 6:26 - LaGuardia Airport https://www.laguardiaairport.com/ 
• 8:38 - Newark Airport https://www.newarkairport.com/ 
• 8:48 - American Airlines https://www.aa.com/homePage.do 
• 10:39 - Air Canada aircanada.com 
• 16:27 - Grimshaw https://grimshaw.global/ 
• 19:35 - Hong Kong International Airport https://www.hongkongairport.com/
• 26:01 - Washington Subway System https://www.wmata.com/service/rail/ 
• 28:52 - AutoCAD https://www.autodesk.com/ 
• 35:29 - FAA https://www.faa.gov/ 
• 35:37 - Boeing https://www.boeing.com/ 

🏨✨ Defining Hospitality is Sponsored by Berman Falk https://www.bermanfalk.com/ - Check out their impact page! 🌍🌱 https://www.bermanfalk.com/impact/ 

Ways to Tune In: 

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPX
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386
• Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1s
• Amazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419
• Transistor: https://www.defininghospitality.live/